Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

NEW ORLEANS – The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives New Orleans Field Division in conjunction with the National Police Defense Foundation (NPDF) today announced an additional reward of up to $10,000, for a total reward of up to $20,000, for the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for an armed robbery that resulted in serious injury to an on-duty ATF special agent during an undercover operation last week.

On August 30 at approximately 2:30 p.m., multiple armed, unidentified suspects attempted an armed robbery of an ATF special agent who was conducting an investigation of firearm and drug violations on the Westbank.

During the incident, the ATF special agent fell from a third story platform and was critically injured. 

ATF New Orleans is seeking the community’s help in locating Michael Lott, who is believed to be responsible for the attack. Lott, 49, is 6 feet tall and approximately 170 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes. He should be considered armed and dangerous.
 

The NPDF is offering an additional $10,000 to its previous reward under it’s “Safe Cop” reward program. Customarily, the Safe Cop reward is posted for anyone who shoots at or kills a law enforcement officer. However, in this case, the NPDF is posting this reward since the suspects pointed guns at the agent that caused his injuries to escape being shot. The NPDF is a 501(c)(3) organization that provides free medical and legal support services to the law enforcement community, as well as funds a variety of public safety and law enforcement initiatives. The Safe Cop program was also expanded to provide critical medical care and counseling to law enforcement officials who have become disabled in the line of duty. 

Previously, ATF New Orleans offered up to a $5,000 reward, along with a $5,000 reward from Crimestoppers GNO, for a total of $10,000, for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Lott.

With the additional reward of $10,000 by the NPDF, the total reward is now up to $20,000 for the arrest and conviction of the suspect from information provided by a citizen.

The ATF New Orleans Field Division is conducting this investigation. Anyone with information about this crime should contact the ATF New Orleans Field Division at 888-ATF-TIPS (888-283-8477), by email, or through the ATF Tips webpage or call Crimestoppers GNO at 504-822-1111. 

Anonymous tips may also be submitted to ATF through the ReportIt® mobile app, available on both Google Play and the Apple App Store, or by visiting www.reportit.com. With this app, users can confidentially submit tips involving firearms and violent crimes.

ATF is the lead federal law enforcement agency with jurisdiction involving firearms and violent crimes and regulates the firearm industry. 

###